


Red Strings of Fate: To Raise a Child

by Washedawaycloud



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adopted Child, Interracial Family, M/M, Other characters only mentioned, Rating for Language, Stucky - Freeform, Stucky Centric, Trans child, Tumblr Prompt, bucky pov, retired life, supportive parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 01:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12098136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Washedawaycloud/pseuds/Washedawaycloud
Summary: They were always destined to help a kid make their way in the world.





	Red Strings of Fate: To Raise a Child

They’d paid their dues to the universe at least ten times over now. Bucky isn’t one to say their duty is done, neither is Steve, but they’ve watched as Parker took over for Stark, as Cassie stepped into her parent’s shoes. Sam’s son, T’Challa’s son, Thor’s daughter - all of them had taken over as their parents aged. Barton’s youngest had inherited more than a sharp tongue, much to Barton’s chagrin. 

 

Even Vision and Wanda had been replaced by their children. And isn’t that a trip? It’s just him, Stevie, and Natasha now. The Vanguards, the trainers. He’s surprised it came to this. That they finally decided to step down, step out of the spotlight, to find somewhere quiet to live. He can’t really figure out if this is a dream or reality yet. 

 

Especially not with the young boy known as Jason sleeps not ten feet away in a pack and play. Not with Steve on the phone trying to get the realtor to talk the owners of the house down from a cool million to something more reasonable. And when did  _ that _ happen? When did they start to get paid, and how did they end up with this much money? Where the house they wanted, a house with land, and history, was a million and they only truly want to negotiate it down to three-quarters that. 

 

When did he and Steve become fathers? His finger smooths over the band on his ring finger. It feels like yesterday, still, that Steve wrenched him out of his brainwashed state. When he pulled Bucky out of a human a.i. It’s been almost thirty years. 

 

\-----

 

He hates that they can’t just homeschool Jay. That they can’t hide him from the world. He’s a brilliant kid, but his focus is absolute and that tends to cause problems. It’s the first day of Kindergarten, and Bucky is pretty sure he’s going to break the steering wheel. 

 

“Have a good day champ, make lots of friends.” Steve’s gentle encouragement gets a beaming smile from the little boy they’d taken as their own some five years ago. He trots off and Bucky can’t start the car. 

 

“Hey - it’s all right. He’s going to be okay. And if he isn’t - he’s got a mean right hook.” 

 

“Steve!!”

 

\----

 

It’s the first day of high school. Jay has come into his own. He’s found a way to negate the way his focus is perceived. The lanky boy - young man - with his hair in meticulously kept locs, has found is neither supremely popular, nor is he the aim of bullies. He has a tribe, as the other more post modern parents like to say. Chorus and Tennis saved Jason a lot of pain. But it’s still a first day and Bucky is again holding the steering wheel like he’s going to break it. Steve is still giving that gentle encouragement even as the lanky boy who carries their last name bolts from the car. 

 

“Time was he wouldn’t leave us.”   He’s a little choked up, a little upset his little boy is growing up so quickly. He still remembers bringing the wrinkled little squealing thing he was home. So small they’d been terrified of breaking him. 

 

“He’s not going to stay little forever.” Steve’s hand is comforting on his thigh, even though the blond is no less upset. 

  
  


\----

 

“I got into Dartmouth!” The excited shriek brings Bucky in from the garage. Who would have thought he’d turn into a grease monkey, who would have thought he’d start restoring bikes to sell? 

 

“You did? That’s great, honey.” He presses a kiss to his daughter's forehead, bringing her in for a hug. Jerrica is so happy she’s about in tears when Steve tears into the house. That hearing is still something. 

 

“I can’t believe it! I made it!” She’s squeezing him tight and Bucky just wants one more day, one more year, with Jerrica before she leaves. He keeps remembering the day they brought her home. What a wrinkled little s quealer. Time was he’d been afraid to touch her for fear of breaking her. 

 

Now he never wants to let her go. But he does, so Steve can get his hugs in. “Let’s go for dinner, to celebrate.” His smile says he’s happy, but the thickness in his voice is hard to mask. 

 

\---

 

“You went overboard.” Steve is blinking at the pile of things ready to be packed into the small Uhaul for their daughter. Bucky shrugs, picking up one of the tubs. 

 

“I didn’t. She’s got a suite mate, not that cramped room situation we saw at the other schools.”

 

“The pan set?” 

 

“She’s gotta cook, doll.” 

 

“Fine, the taser? The pepper spray? The heels with metal spikes that Pepper used to wear back in the day?” 

 

“She’s our little girl, Steven Grant. No boy is going to lay a damn hand on her without her permission, and if he tries it - she’ll be ready. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you spending more time at the gym with her. You’re worried too.” 

 

It’s building to a fight but just as quickly deflates. Steve’s shoulders fall and Bucky’s face warms back up. This isn’t easy. Letting Jay go is terrifying. He wishes she’d have liked Oswego, hell MIT would have been great too. Dartmouth, all the way up in goddamn New Hampshire.

 

“At least Ben Parker is going there too.” His sigh is defeated, and Bucky can’t believe his ears. But he also can’t win this. Jay wants desperately to go, and he’s hard pressed to deny her something like this. 

 

“Parker better know she’s not going to ever see him mooning over her as anything but -”

 

“You don’t know that Bucky. Plus, I like Ben Parker. He’s a little rough around the edges but if she decided -”

 

“I’m not hearing this. What about the smaller Stark, huh? He’s going to Dartmouth too, yanno -”

 

“Walter? That little shit, I thought he was following in Tony’s footsteps?” 

 

“Nope -”

 

“Are you two actually loading that or is this all some conspiracy to make me stay home?” Jerrica appears in the doorway, hair down her back, still in those beautiful locs he’s helped cared for, for the last twelve years. He and Steve look at one another, and his partner’s face is red as a tomato. 

 

Jerrica’s laugh is still one of his favorite sounds in the world. 


End file.
